In my blog yesterday, I reminisced and talked about the value of comfort food. A friend from college thoughtfully suggested: “Good morning, Donald. I respectfully suggest, it’s not the food you miss; it’s your childhood.” My initial response was to discount his suggestion. Seriously, mine was a wonderful childhood, but that’s not to say it was problem free or that I’d want to do it again.
I joke about the fact that I might still benefit from therapy associated to not making the First State Bank Little League Team when I was nine years old. My twin brother made the team; I did not. My mother experienced more disappointment with that loss than I did, but somehow, I was painfully aware that I didn’t measure up to expectations.
The song “Don ‘t Laugh at Me”, written by Allen Shamblin and Steve Seskin, and recorded by country music artist Mark Willis was a little too close to home for me even though it was number 2 on the Billboard country charts in 1998. The lyrics from the song that I found most painful were these: “I’m that kid on every playground – Who’s always chosen last…Don’t laugh at me, don’t call me names Don’t get your pleasure from my pain.”
At my 50th high school reunion, I was honored with the privilege of helping to assist with being the emcee for the program. I recalled the fact that Ronnie was voted as “one of the ten most likely to succeed” by our senior class in high school. I was not. My question was: “Way back then, how did you know?”
My question drew laughter. I was pleased, that was my intent.I always comfortably had the knack for being the class clown when I was in school, and it was a good fit for me. I thrive on the sound of laughter. I always have.
It was Leo Buscaglia, the college professor endearingly referred to as “Dr. Love” that said: “If you act crazy consistently, you can get by with damn near anything; otherwise, they call the cops.” Why didn’t I think of that?
I struggled through algebra in school. My parents didn’t expect an “A”, but anything less than a “B” was not acceptable. Of course, that was a thousand years ago and despite my mother’s frequent reference to “your permanent record”, I haven’t found many closed doors associated to my lack of mathematical know-how.
I think I made a “B”, but I wouldn’t swear to the fact with my hand on a Bible.Yesterday, I pushed back from the notion: “It is not the food you miss; but your childhood.” Seriously, the thought of repeating algebra would be enough to leave me in a fetal position. I don’t want to go back and do that again.
Though I was selected as one of the speakers for our high school graduation, it wasn’t that public speaking was easy for me. From childhood, fear of snakes and fear of public speaking were two things that could stop me in my tracks.
I have come a long way in managing the butterflies that surface from an opportunity to speak, but I don’t go near the reptile house at the zoo. Drum roll, though I wouldn’t trade places and be content to be a child again, there are things associated with childhood that I do miss. Yet, I have found that it is better to be an adult than a child. I like Mark Willis’ song: Don’t Laugh at Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVjbo8dW9c8
All My Best!
Don
Carpe Diem 